Watkins scored 16 Premier League goals for Aston Villa last season
Bryan Mbeumo has publicly praised Ollie Watkins, calling his former Brentford teammate “a complete striker”.
Manchester United have reportedly narrowed down their search for a new centre-forward to Watkins and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Mbeumo, now at Old Trafford himself after a £71m move from Brentford, spoke glowingly about Watkins’ qualities.
“Ollie is a complete striker,” said Mbeumo. “He can do a lot of things. He can drop to be available or go in behind.
“And that is really good for me as a winger because you can use his space to fit in there. Plus he can combine as well. It’s really good.”
Watkins scored 16 Premier League goals for Aston Villa last season and has hit double figures in each of his five top-flight campaigns.
That consistency and his Premier League experience make him an appealing option for United as they look for a striker to complement Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo in Ruben Amorim’s new-look frontline.
Villa have said that Watkins is not for sale, but people at United reportedly believe a deal could be possible if a bid in the region of £40-45m is tabled.
Sesko is an alternative for United but the finances involved make a deal difficult to do.
